Restraining device



All@ 29, 1961 A. KLEsA 2,998,008

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1959 IN VENTOR ARLENE K L E SA AGENTThis invention relates to a restraining device and more particularly toa device for restraining the movement of the arms or legs of patientswho because they are delirious or mentally ill might otherwise inflictinjury upon themselves or others or interfere with a surgeon while he isperforming an operation.

Most of the restraining devices heretofore in use have not provedentirely satisfactory. An objection often raised to many restrainingdevices currently employed is that they have a tendency to produceburns, abrasions, bruises, etc. on the wrists and `ankles of patients.Such injuries have been found particularly severe in the more seriousmental cases and during the administration to mental patients of comatherapy as, for inst-ance, insulin coma treatment. Many otherrestraining devices commonly employed are heavy, cumbersome, expensiveand consequently entirely too impractical for hospital use.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a restrainingdevice which largely reduces the likelihood of injury to the patients`arms or legs. Another object of this invention is to provide a devicewhich is simple, durable, strong and inexpensive to manufacture whichcan be readily adjusted to -t the limbs of the patient and quicklysecured to -give the desired restraint.

Another object is to provide a device that generally restrains thepatient but permits a limited range of movement of the limbs, thuspreventing injury to limbs, cramping o-f muscles and lessening the fearand mental tension that often arises in patients Where limbs arerestrained from all movement.

A further object is to provide a device that can be easily disassembledwhen not in use so as to facilitate storage and can be laundered asoften as desired.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the `accompanyingdrawings in Which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the restraining device;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2 ofFIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is :a detailed sectional View of a preferred modification ofthe device -as applied; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the main mponents of the restrainingdevice.

Referring to the drawings the restraining device comprises a softflexible cushioning member designated generally :as 1 of suicient lengthto pass around the limb of the wearer. This member may be made of anysoft flexible material, for instance, cotton, foam rubber, or syntheticmaterials having similar soft, resilient characteristics. The thicknessof the material can vary depending upon the protection desired and thecharacteristics of the particular material employed. Ordinarily, athickness of yabout one-quarter of an inch is found suitable. If founddesirable, member 1 can be a composite of a durable textile cover la anda soft, resilient liner 1b (see FIG. 3), the cover having an opening(not shown) on its bottom side, that is the side to be placed adjacentthe limb, for introduction and removal of the so-ft flexible liner. 'Theliner can be any soft, resilient material such as foam rubber, cotton,or other synthetic material having similar soft, resilientcharacteristics. The cushion 1 is provided on its top side with a stripof flexible material 4 such as a flexible fabric lattached along itslongitudinal edges to the cushion, as for example, by stitching, so asto provide openings 5 and 6. 'Ille strip is also provided with atnt O2,998,008 Patented Aug. 29, 1961 ICC an opening 7 approximately near itscenter. A exible band 8 preferably of fabric such as heavy canvas isprovided with a series of slots '10; 12 and '14, 16 near its ends withan opening 18 approximately at its center. In use this band ispositioned over fabric strip 4 so that the opening 7 of strip '4coincides with opening 18 of fabric band 8. The fabric band 8` should beof sufficient length to extend over the openings 5 and r6 of strip 4,preferably of a length that just overlaps the longitudinal ends ofcushion 1. A ring 19, prefereably of metal which will not 'bend orbreak, is positioned within the coincident openings 7 and 18. A belt 29,is inserted, respectively, through one of `the openings 10, 12, opening5, ring 19, opening 6, and one of the openings 14, 16. The openings inthe series of openings 10, 12 'and 14, 16 selected for belt 2l) shouldbe those that best tit the size of the patients wrist or ankle. Anotherbelt 22 is looped through ring 19.

The restraining `device las shown in FIGURE l is ready for applicationto the -wrist or ankle of -a patient. The device is placed on the limband the belt 20 tightened to the desired pressure or size about fthewrist or ankle as shown in FIGURE 3. The belt 22 of leather or othersturdy material may then be buckled on a nearby structure, as `forinstance, on the posts, sides or bottom of the patients bed, chair, etc.

It is to be observed that the patients arms or legs are permitted adesirable amount of rotary movement by virtue of ring 19. This feature,together with those more obvious from the drawings and description,greatly lessens the chance of injury to the patients limbs and yetSulliciently restrains the patient. Additional movement can be providedthe patients limbs, if desirable, by increasing the length of the belt22 Ifrom ring to point of attachment. It is also to be observed thatwhen not in use, the device can be simply disassembled and convenientlystored in a minimum of space.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention h-as been shown forpurposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changesand modications may be made therein as will readily appear to a personskilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A restraining device comprising a Sofft flexible cushion, a strip offlexible material attached by its longitudinal edges to one side of saidcushion, said strip having an opening at approximately the centerthereof, a flexible band having a slot near each end and an openingapproximately in the center thereof superimposed over said strip so thatthe central opening of said band coincides with the central opening ofsaid strip, a metal ring inserted in the coincident openings, a beltinserted, respectively, through a slot near one end of said band, underthe strip and through said ring and through a slot at the other end ofsaid band.

2. The device of claim l wherein -a sorft flexible cushion is a piece offoam rubber with a fabric cover.

3. The device of claim '1 wherein the soi'lt flexible cushion is acomposite of a textile cover and a soft resilient liner, said coverhaving an opening for the introduction and removal of the soft resilientliner.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,710Askew June 5, 1906 2,361,108 Johnson Oct. 24, 1944 2,695,019 Welter Nov.23, 1954 2,706,477 Daake Apr'. 19, 1955 2,726,714 McAndrews Dec. 13,.1955

